Tucson Casino Poker Rooms: There's Only Two

I've been in Tucson for a couple of weeks now and I'm beginning to settle in. My "headquarters" is the Casino del Sol, owned and operated by the Pascua Yaqui tribe. The poker room at the del Sol is well run, has a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, and many of the regulars consider it a second home. With about 14 tables, it's large enough to host tournaments and the usual run of cash games.

On day one I noticed there were no "no-limit" games. Why? Apparently, the Arizona Department of Gaming has placed a $150 cap on any bet, thus no-limit games are impossible. However, the del Sol does run a popular 2-20 split game that is essentially a "no-limit" type of game with a $20 cap. The blinds are $1 and $2, and you can bet up to $20 at any time on any betting round. They also have a $2/$4 limit game that is popular, plus $3/$6 limit. One group of "high rollers" usually meets on Tuesday nights for a $75/$150 limit game that attracts a few onlookers. It's as close as the del Sol gets to a high-stakes game.

In 1964, with the aid of Congressman Morris K. Udall, the Pascua Yaquis received 202 acres of desert land where Indian identity and sovereignty can be asserted and maintained. On September 18, 1978, the Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona became federally recognized: the Pascua Pueblo Pueblo of the Pascua Yaqui Indian Reservation officially came "into being".

The Pascua Yaquis have a status similar to other Indian tribes of the United States. This status makes the Yaqui eligible for specific services that the United States offers Native American peoples who have suffered land loss.

The other casino poker room in Tucson is at the Desert Diamond Casino. The Desert Diamond is run by the Tohono O'odham Nation. I've not visited their facilities yet, but hope to get by there this week.

According to the Arizona Daily Star, Arizona casinos are having a record year in earnings. The revenue that tribes contribute to the state went up almost 5% in the third quarter. In fiscal 2007 that ended in June, gross revenue from all tribal casinos in the state totaled $1.9 billion, with $92 million going to the state of Arizona. Wow! That's a lot of old ladies and retirees playing nickel slots.

Although no official revenues are released from individual casinos, information from local agencies and governments have estimated that the Tohono O'odham casinos raked in an estimated $196 million in fiscal 2007. The estimated gross revenue of the Pascua Yaqui last year is $104 million.